


boulevard of broken dreams

by poppyharris



Category: Mad Men
Genre: F/M, First Meeting, Period-Typical Sexism, kinda sweet
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-06-18
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:00:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24171700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poppyharris/pseuds/poppyharris
Summary: a new secretary catches ken’s eye, but he’ll have to fight don for her.
Relationships: Ken Cosgrove/Original Character(s)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [poppyharris](https://archiveofourown.org/users/poppyharris/gifts).



> a birthday fic for myself

another day, another secretary. ken had got his own office months ago, but don kept sleeping with the secretaries ken was supposed to have, then don would end up breaking their hearts and ken would never get to buzz through and ask for a cup of damn coffee without sobs coming through from the other side.

but don was gone for the week, and joan had informed him of a secretary that’d just been laid off from some jewish lawyer and was a friend of hers. ken sighed slightly, mildly sick of getting the castoffs. but joan seemed to only have pretty friends, if her nights on the town were anything to go by, and apparently the new girl had only just turned twenty one.

“don’t be a creep, kenny, if i hear a peep out of her that you’re coming on too strong, you’ll have me to answer to,” joan had warned him, seemingly rather stressed about her friend coming to work for the company. she’d been to ken’s desk at least five times that day, organising, cleaning, adding cushions to the chair. the typewriter had been polished until it looked new, and all of the usual secretaries looked on in envy as joan personally replaced the worn buttons with new ones.

“is she married?” ken asked as joan adjusted the chair to be slightly higher, judging from the height that had been written on her wrist, his new secretary was 5’6. ken couldn’t help but ask, he secretly hoped he’d be able to join the ranks of sterling cooper employees who’d married their secretaries.

“is that all that’s on your mind? how quickly you can get under her skirt?” joan rolled her eyes at ken, standing up from the chair and turning to face him, a hand on her hip. “she’s not, but that’s out of personal choice. every boy in high school wanted her, and every girl wanted to be her.” joan smiled slightly, as if remembering happy memories. “she taught me everything i know about hair, i’ll admit that.”

ken nodded along to what she was saying, before crossing his arms. “are you going to introduce me to her, or should i just stand behind her and go boo! i’m ken cosgrove?” he tried to give joan a smile, to relax her a little, but that just seemed to worry her further.

“oh god, you’re right, i haven’t even thought of how i’m going to introduce you. maybe it would be better if i give her the tour, and explain on the way,” joan sighed, messing with her hair a little as she looked across the room. “yes, i’m sure that’ll be fine.”

ken sighed, looking over his coffee cup at joan. this new secretary better be worth all this fuss. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M NOT DEAD  
> i say to the delight of none and the sadness of many

"come on, stop flirting and hurry on through!" 

ken could hear joan's voice from a mile away, the sound of giggles filling the stale air as copywriters and receptionists alike stared at the new girl walking through the doors. 

if ken had been expecting someone, the woman walking through was not her. compared to joan, she seemed to be nothing special, but her hair was in two small buns on either side of her head, and then two small braids came down to rest on her shoulders. ken couldn't help but notice her eyes, he hated to admit it, but he'd never seen an asian woman outside of the news or chinatown. she'd gone heavy on the eyeliner, clearly trying to make her eyes look normal. 

"it's japanese." a hiss came from the rows of typewriters.

the woman stopped in the middle of the aisle, her jaw clenching before she turned to marsha, and smiled. "i am, sweetie. you must be the resident flat faced menopausal witch?"

ken gasped, along with most of the other employees. he was about to start clapping, before don, that interfering bastard, took a step out of his office. joan looked mildly pissed off, and sighed. "don, go back into your little hovel, seki doesn't want to learn what it's like to be an sterling cooper secretary just yet." 

she laughed quietly, causing joan to giggle, rolling her eyes. "and you can stop giggling too!" joan laughed, before waving her in the direction of ken. "come on, seki! this is ken!"

seki smiled at ken brightly, putting her box onto the desk joan had spent so long carefully cleaning and making look perfect. she came up to ken, and held her hand out. "seki kaede, it's lovely to meet you, mr. cosgrove."

ken didn't realise he was standing there, gaping at the woman. joan couldn't help the snort that left her, quickly raising a perfectly manicured hand to her mouth to hide her laughs. seki smiled a little, dropping her hand. "alright then," she smiled politely, then turned and began to unpack her box. ken licked over his teeth, before sighing and taking a sip of his coffee. 

"sorry, didn't mean to leave you hanging, nip- miss kaede," ken had to catch his words, trying not to be casually racist. joan pursed her lips tightly, but didn’t say anything. seki either ignored it, or didn’t hear, but put a tiny bonsai tree next to her typewriter.

”i’ll leave you two to get aquatinted,” joan smiled, turning around and wiggling her fingers at roger, who was watching joan with a smirk on his face.

ken wasn’t really sure what to say. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i’ve decided that these are gonna be really small chapters since i’m lazy


End file.
